‘Watch this space!’ was the surprise comment from Largs business owner John Corrigan after he removed his van from the roof of one of his premises in Largs town centre.
Council planners have demanded that the businessman take the van feature off the roof of the vacant shop at 84 Main Street.
The matter was highlighted at North Ayrshire’s planning committee earlier this month.
However, Mr Corrigan stated that the council were wasting time and money as by the time the enforcement notice had been applied for the vehicle to be removed, he had already taken it down.
Speaking to the ‘News’, Mr Corrigan said: “The council love saving money but they wasted money as I took it down a few weeks ago but they didn’t bother to check before taking out this Order Notice. They went to all the trouble of preparing a legal notice, but it was already gone. 
“We have future plans for the van - we will have to wait and see where it comes up next, but it will re-appear to the public’s delight for all to see.”
The development comprising the installation of a Piaggio Ape three wheeled vehicle on the roof of the building was carried out in early July, but planning permission
had not been sought or granted for the development, Karen Yeomans, executive director of NAC, stated in her planning report. 
The council ruled that the development is considered to have an adverse impact on the local area by way of ‘its siting, design and appearance’. She added: “It is not considered to be an advertisement as it is not employed for the purposes of advertising.”
The decorative vehicle had previously been installed on the roof of Deli Il Cardo delicatessen, but there was an outcry on social media pages when the van had to be removed, but there was bemusement when the van re-appeared on top of another premises next to Largs Railway Station in July.
Karen Yeomans said: “The owner states that the vehicle is only being stored temporarily on the roof and has not been physically fixed to it. The council has advised that it considers it to be development as it has a degree of permanence. The owner was originally requested to remove the development by 11th August 2017 which the owner has failed to do.
“The Piaggio Ape had previously been installed on the roof of 116 Main Street, Largs. The vehicle in that location was considered to constitute an advertisement as it was a device employed wholly or partly for the purposes of advertising the Italian delicatessen which occupies the property. An application for advertisement consent to site the vehicle on the roof of 116 Main Street was refused following objection from Transport Scotland, who considered it to be to the detriment of the safety of users of the A78.”